Door check



May 4, w43.

s T. ALEXANDER 1 DOOR cHEcK Filed Nov. 18, 1941 WN I NN SAMUEL ZALExAA/ose INVENTOR @in w ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1943 Vnoon CHECK Samuel T. Alexander, Los Angeles, Calf., assign or of one-third to Paul Eddy Richardson, Los

Angeles, Calif.

Application November 18, 1941, Serial No. 419,559

6 Claims. ('Cl. Iii-59) This invention relates generally to door checks and door return devices.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a simple device of relatively few parts which may be mounted n a door frame and attached to a door to act as a door check and door return means. It is also an object to provide a simple device of the type indicated which may be used in various places Where a yieldable braking and return action is required.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a door check embodying a piston and cylinder in which a rod m provided extending externally of the housing and attached at its inner end to the piston mounted in a plane above the liquid level in the housing so that no positive liquid seal is necessary in the region where the rod passes through the end of the housing.

It is also an object to provide a device of the type indicated embodying a piston and rod'in which means are provided for wiping the rod interiorly of the housing and in addition means in the nature of a baffle are provided for preventing any sudden surge ofliquid in the housing from escaping through the opening in the end of the housing through which the rod passes.

It is a further object to provide within a single housing, means for checking the retraction of the door or piston rod, means for yieldably holding the rod in a retracted position and for returning it to such position and catch means for holding the rod in an extended position.

In addition it is an object to provide means for sealing the opening through which the rod passes through the housing when the rod is held in retracted position.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description thereof. Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central sectionthrough a door check and return device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig- 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section in` the plane of Fig. 1 of one end of the device; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section on line Q -t of Fig. 1. A

iMore particularly describing the invention, reference numeral l l generally indicates an elongate housing. This housing comprises a tubular member I2 of the cross sectional shape indicated in Figs. 2 and 4.-. Fitted into the ends of this member are end housing members lll-I5 respectively. The part I2 may be joined to the parts Id--l in any suitable way as by sweating the ends of the member l2 around the endelements. The end housing member I4 is provided with an apertured extension I6 so that this end of the housing may be pivotally mounted onV a door y frame or the like as generally indicated at Il.

kMounted in they lower. portion of the outer housing is a cylinder i8, the ends of which are Vvpositioned in annularrecesses I4 and I5- of the respective end members.. v This cylinder is pro-1.v` vided with an elongate slot l extending a con.:A siderable distance along the top of the cylinder,

from the end l5 as shown. The end of the cylinder opposite tothe slotted portion is sealed off y from communication with the interior ofthe housing i l except through the restricted passager.

way 2t- 2l provided in the end housing I4. The'- passageway portion 2| extends diagonally from the main part and terminates to one side of the v cylinder as shown in Fig. 2.V This passageway 263-2! is controlled by means of an adjustment screw 22 which canbe threadably mounted inthe housing element.

` A hollow piston 24 is slidably mounted theY cylinder t I8.n This piston is provided at one end end of the piston is provided with a crosshead or rigid coupling element 28 which, as shown inA Fig. 2, consists vo1 a double strap expanded at its lower end 29 to follow the contour of the inner surface of the piston. The piston is slotted at 3U to accommodate the crosls'head, the lower end 29 of which can be secured to the piston by any suitable means. At its upper end the strap encircles a rod 32 which is securely mounted therein in any suitable manner. This door or piston rod extends parallel to the piston but is located above the normal liquid level in the housing Il which The rod passes through an opening 34 in the end member i5 and is provided Y at its outer end with a suitable tting 35 aslmay is indicated at 33.

be desired for pivotally securing the same to a door or the like. The opening 34 is preferably made suiciently larger than the diameter ofthe rod to permit of the rod being received Without contact withthe sides o f the opening. This confstruction serves to prevent any wiping action which might tend to cause liquid to gather on the outside of the housing and at the same time f prevents escape of liquid by capillary attraction. In order to yieldably retain the piston and rodv in the retracted position shown, aspring means generally indicated by numeral 3S is provided.,

One end of this spring means is connected tothe housing by means of the apertured lug V3l and;

the other end secured tothe cross Vhead 28 in the hole 28'. Although various types of tension springs might be employed, it is desirable to pro-'ly vide a special spring means in order'togachieve the desired force and ,flexibility'withinthe rela-3 tively short movement permitted by the housing and to achieve this inner and outer telescoping springs indicated respectively by the numerals 38 and 39 are provided; Between the springs is a tube 49 and the springs have their inner ends mounted in opposite ends of this tube, namely,` the outer spring 39 is secured within the turned end 4I of the tube while the opposite end of-.the

other spring is secured Within the turned end 42 A of the tube. It is obvious Withthis construction that when the rod and piston are moved from their retracted position both of the springs are .placed under tension.

Preferably a catch means is provided for engaging the member 28 when the rod and piston are inLextended position and in the form of the invention shown, this means consists oi-theclamp 43 `provided with the spacedlspringjaws 44.adapt ed to engage the crosshead.y The clampis se'- cured to the end housingelement I bymeans of rivets 45 which also serve tohold a combined l wiper and. baille means generally indicated bynumeral 46.

The combined Wiper and baiile means comprises` a plate like member 4T -'which is secured -to the end member'IS at its lower end and which extends outwardly therefrom as indicated. Preferably -this member closely lits the inner wall 'of the housing so that any sudden surge of liquid within the housing above its normal liquid level and against the baille` will be prevented from reaching the opening 34 -where it could escape to the exterior of. the housing. The member 4I is provided with an opening 48 for accommodat-l ing a eXible wiper element 49' which can be formed of any suitable material which would not be injured' by the particular liquid usedin the device.

It may be pointed out that the combined wiper and baffle means is not designed to act as an abso lute fluid tight seal between the rod 32'and the housing toprevent escape of liquid. A perfect seal is unnecessary in the construction shown Where it is a feature of the invention that the rod 32 is located above the normal levelfof the liquid in the housing. However, there maybe times in the operation of the device when some means are necessary to prevent'escape of liquid through the opening 34 as, for example, when there might be a sudden surge of liquid in the housing toward the end I5as might be caused by a sudden opening of the door to which the device is attached. At such times the combined wiper and baile means will' serve to prevent Aliquid from splash-- ing out through the opening; At the Vsame 'time the wiper serves to -remove anyliquidrwhich may accumulate on the rod and thereby prevent its escape to the exterior of the housing;

Since the wiper 49 may incidentally-remove'- some moisture from the rod 32 as it returns to its normal retracted positionV it is desirableto' serves this purpose without permitting escapey of liquid through theopening. 341 at suchtimes as'V there might be a sudden surge `ofvliquid inthe housing.

Itv may be pointed out, however, that'inthe normal operation of the device there shouldbekx little 'if any tendency -for` theliquid in-the house.

ing to'approaclrn the .region .of thev opening 34e` Thereasonorthis fisthatthe housing need-only-' be supplied with liquid to the level shown. Thus, in the operation of the device by reason of the fact that the piston isvhollow and the cylinder is provided with a longitudinal slot I9 only a limited amount of liquid rises through the slot I9 as-the piston moves from the position in which it is shown to the opposite end of the cylinder, the major portion of the liquid merely escaping through the piston itself.

Although the device is adapted to be installed in a horizontal position there are times when it will not occupy such a position as, for example, prior to'the time it is actually installed and possiblyatother times such as during installation or at some time when the device may be removed from the door. Inrorder .to prevent the escape of liquid from the housing dur-ing such-times as the device is not arranged in the horizontaliposition shown inthe drawingea sealmember 52is prov vided on the rod exteriorly of the housing.A This seal member is placed just inwardly ofthe tting Strand isadapted tc be forced into pressure en'- gagement `Withfthe end member I5 inthe regionof the vrod opening 4 by the'action of the spring means when the rod and piston are in the retracted position shown; s provided to prevent escape of liquid from the housing when the deviceA is not installed for use on a door.

Although the invention hasV been particularly shown and described, it is contemplated that various changes and modications may be made and itis intended to cover such changes and modifications as come Within the scope oi the claims.

i claim as my invention: A

l. In a door check and return device, an elongatedhousing adapted to be pivotally secured to a door frame or the like and extend in a horizontal position;Y a cylinder in the lower portion of said housing; liquid in said housing filling said.

cylinder, leaving theupper portion of said housing free .of liquidymeans providing a restricted 'munication with the interior of the housing;- aI

piston in said cylinder; a crosshead mounted on' one end oiv they piston and extending upwardly therefrom, a rod mounted at the upper end of said crosshead and extending parallel to the cylinder in a plane above the cylinder and above the level ofthe liquid in the housing; said rodextending through thelend of said. housing opposite to that toV which the housing is attachedY tol thek L frame, said rod being provided with means at its outer end for lattachment to' adoor or the like;

means in -sa-id housing for yieldably holding saidv piston and rod in a retracted position; and are'- silient seal member mounted on said rod exteriorly of said housing and adapted to bei forcedinto pressure engagement with the end .ofthe liousing'bysaid` yieldable means when Athe rod4 piston in said-cylinder; a crosshead mounted on" one end of-the piston vand extendingy upwardly Thus an effective seal .position a cylinder-1in' the lower portion therefrom, a rod mounted at the upper end of said crosshead and extending parallel to the cylinder in a plane above the cylinder and above the level of the liquid in the housing, said rod extending through the end of said housing opposite to that to which the housing is attached to the frame, said rod being provided with means at its outer end for attachment to a door or the like; means in said housing for yieldably holding said piston and rod in a retracted position; and a combined wiper and baille in said housing adjacent the end where the rod passes through the housing, said wiper portion being formed of suitabie flexible material apertured to receive the rod and said baille portion being positioned in close proximity to the inner surface of the housing above said cylinder whereby a sudden surge of liquid against said baille will be prevented from passing the same.

3. In a door check and return device, an elongated housing adapted to be secured to a door frame or the like and extend in a horizontal position; a cylinder in the lower portion of said housing; liquid in said housing covering said cylinder leaving the upper portion of said housing free of liquid; means providing a restricted fluid passageway from one .end of the cylinder, the other end of said cylinder being in open communication with the interior of the housing; a piston in said cylinder; a crosshead mounted on one end of the piston and extending upwardly therefrom, a rod mounted at the upper end of said crosshead and extending parallel to the cylinder in a. plane above the cylinder and above .the level of the liquid in the housing, said rod extending through the end of said housing opposite to that to which the housing is attached to the frame, said rod being provided with means at its outer end for attachment to a door or the like; means in said housing for yieldably holding said piston and rod in a retracted position; and catch means for engagement with said crosshead when said rod and piston are extended for yieldably holding said parts in the extended position.

4. In a door check and return device, an elongated housing having means at one end thereof for pivotally mounting the housing on a door frame or the like in a substantially horizontal position; a cylinder in the lower portion of said housing, said cylinder being provided with a slot extending from the end of said housing opposite to the end which is adapted to be attached to the door frame or the like a, considerable distance inwardly therefrom; a hollow piston in said cylinder, said piston being provided with a check valve adapted to prevent iiow of liquid therethrough when said piston is moved toward the end of said housing which is adapted to be attached to the door frame or the like; said housing being provided with means forming a restricted fluid passage from the end of said cylinder opposite to the slotted portion to the interior of said housing; said housing being adapted to be provided with a suitable liquid to ill said cylinder and leave the upper portion of the housing free of liquid; a

adapted to be attached to a. door or the like; spring means in said housing for yieldably holding said rod and piston in a retracted position; a combined wiper and baille means mounted at the end of said housing through which the rod passes, the wiper portion being apertured to receive the rod and the baille portion being adapted to closely t the inner wall of the housing in a region inwardly of the point at which the rod passes through the end of the housing; and a, seal member mounted on said rod exteriorly of the housing and adapted to be forced into pressure engagement with the end of the housing by said spring means.

5. In a door check and return device, an elongated housing adapted to be secured to a door frame or the like and extend in a horizontal position; a cylinder in the lower portion of said housing; means providing a restricted uid passageway from one end of the cylinder, the other end of said cylinder being in open communication with the interior of the housing; a piston in said cylinder; a cross-head mounted on one end of the piston and extending upwardly therefrom, a rod mounted at the upper end of said crosshead and extending parallel to the cylinder in a plane above the cylinder, said rod extending through the end of said housing opposite to that to which the housing is attached to the frame, said rod being provided with means at its outer end for attachment to a door or the like; and spring means in said housing for yieldably holding said piston and rod in a retracted position, said spring means comprising an elongate member, an outer spring attached to one end 4of said member and an inner spring attached to the opposite end of said member, the outer ends of said spring means being respectively secured to the housing and to said crosshead.

6. In a door check and return device, an elongated housing adapted to be secured to a door frame or the like at one end and extend in a horizontal position therefrom, said housing having a rod opening at its opposite end; a cylinder in the lower portion of said housing; liquid in said housing covering said cylinder having the upper portion of said housing free of liquid; means providing a restricted fluid passageway from one end or" the cylinder, the other end of said cylinder being in open communication with the interior of the housing; a piston in said cylinder; a rod mounted on said piston and extending parallel to and beyond the cylinder in a plane above the cylinder and above the level of the liquid inthe housing, said rod extending through the rod opening in the end of said housing out of Contact with the sides of said opening, said rod being provided with means at its outer end for attachment to a door or the like; means in said housing for yieldably holding said piston and rod in a retracted position; a combined wiper and baille in said housing adjacent the end where the rod passes through the housing, said wiper portion being formed of suitable flexible material apertured to receive the rod and said baille portion being positioned in close proximity to the inner surface of the housing above said cylinder whereby a sudden surge of liquid against said baille will be prevented from passing the same, said baiile means having a seepage return passage for any liquid which may accumulate between said baille means and the adjacent end of the housing.

SAMUEL T. ALEXANDER. 

